- Iran’s Pezeshkian meets Pakistan’s Naqvi in Tehran as tensions with US rise
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has held talks with Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran, as Pakistan and Qatar seek to revive diplomacy amid fears that regional tensions could intensify. Naqvi’s visit to the Iranian capital on Monday was his sixth since the United States and Israel’s war on Iran began in February. It came a day after Tehran said it had received intelligence that the US was planning new attacks on the country.” (09/22/26)
- TX: Abbott slaps halt on data center permits
Source: Politico
“Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expanded his de facto moratorium on new data centers Monday, ordering environmental regulators to stop approving permits for the tech projects until an electricity audit is finished. The Republican has now cut off major state-level approvals for data centers, blocking them from getting environmental permits or connecting to Texas’ main power grid. … The tightening marks Abbott’s latest effort to tamp down anger over data center development ahead of a tight election in November. He has pivoted in recent months after previously calling for Texas to be the ‘epicenter’ of artificial intelligence development.” (09/21/26)
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/21/abbott-texas-data-center-permits-halt-01086398
- Bitcoin hits highest level since January
Source: CNBC
“Bitcoin rose above $86,000 on Monday as the cryptocurrency continued its sharp rally over the past few days. Bitcoin was trading at $85,863.40, up around 5.8%, according to CoinMetrics. Earlier in the day, the cryptocurrency rose as high as $86,349.90, its highest level since late Jan. 29. Investors are assessing whether the ‘crypto winter’ — a depressed period of digital asset prices — which began after bitcoin hit an all-time high of over $126,000 in October 2025, is over. … The rally comes even as the U.S. Senate last week blocked the Clarity Act from advancing. It would have set up a framework for crypto in the U.S. and divided industry oversight between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).” (09/21/26)
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/21/bitcoin-price-crypto-rally.html
- Ukraine: Four killed in Russian strikes
Source: Sacramento Bee
“Russia hit Ukraine’s industrial heartland overnight, killing four, while an attack in the north cut power supply to thousands, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday. Moscow has escalated its air war, striking economic targets from businesses and ports to logistics hubs as frontline fighting has largely stalled more than 4-1/2 years into the war triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. … Moscow simultaneously hit industrial enterprises in the cities of Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih and Pavlohrad in the southeastern region of Dnipropetrovsk, regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha said on the Telegram messaging app.” (09/22/26)
https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/world/article317332475.html
- Flights at major US airports delayed after cable cut by construction workers
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
“Hundreds of flights have been delayed at major airports in the US after construction workers accidentally cut a cable needed for air traffic control. Ground stops and delays were issued on Monday afternoon for airports in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Hours later, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the cable had been repaired and airports would resume normal operations, though delays were still expected. … The delays happened after the damaged cable impacted the Terminal Radar Approach Control system, which is used to guide planes during takeoff and landing, transport officials said.” [editor’s note: Sounds more like some kind of “security incident” they’d rather not admit happened – TLK] (09/21/26)
- Yemen: Houthis move to seize strategic terrain after Trump calls off airstrikes at last minute
Source: The Guardian [UK]
“Houthi fighters are moving to seize strategic heights in Yemen that would cut the Red Sea coast off from areas held by Saudi-backed forces after Donald Trump called off US strikes on the group at the last minute, reportedly as bombs were being loaded on to aircraft. Amid increasingly heavy fighting in Yemen, which has displaced tens of thousands of people in recent weeks, the New York Times reported on Monday that the US president had flip-flopped wildly in recent days after a call from Saudi Arabia for US strikes on the Houthis. It comes amid the Houthis’ rapid advance on the ground with the group gaining control over much of Yemen’s Red Sea coast from Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and advancing to areas adjacent to the crucial Bab al-Mandab strait, which Saudi Arabia has used as an alternative route for oil exports bypassing disruption in the strait of Hormuz.” (09/21/26)
- MO: Appeals court reinstates GOP House re-gerrymander for November election
Source: The Hill
“A federal appeals court reinstated the Missouri GOP’s 7-1 House map to be used in time for the November elections, delivering a boost for several Republican candidates who wanted a more favorable map for the party to be used in the midterm elections. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that using an older set of maps that gives Republicans a 6-2 advantage in the House instead of newer ones the party passed last year and used in this year’s primaries was unconstitutional. … The issue is now likely headed back to the U.S. Supreme Court for a third time in as many weeks.” (09/21/26)
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/6102804-mo-court-reinstates-gop-house-map/
- Russia: Anti-war party Yabloko elected to regional Duma
Source: Yahoo! News
“Russian anti-war party Yabloko has surprisingly managed to win a seat in a regional parliament, despite being largely banned from elections across the country. The liberal opposition party secured 6.38% of the vote in the Nizhny Novgorod region on the Volga, gaining a seat in the regional Duma on Monday for the first time. The result caused a stir across Russia because the party was barred from standing across almost the entire country after a ruling by the Surpeme Court. … Experts said the party was likely excluded from the national election because the Kremlin judged it could actually win seats in parliament. Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov has positioned the party as the only force campaigning for a ceasefire in Russia’s war against Ukraine. All other parties support the invasion, which has been ongoing for more than four and a half years.” 909/21/26)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/russian-anti-war-party-yabloko-154837620.html
- US regime threatens sanctions on companies doing business with Iranian airlines
Source: The Buseinss Standard [Bangladesh]
“The United States has threatened to effectively ground Iranian airlines worldwide from Wednesday (23 September), warning foreign companies that provide services to the carriers that they could face secondary sanctions, reports Al Jazeera. … The warning extends beyond the airlines themselves to airports, fuel suppliers, ticketing companies and other businesses that support their international operations.” [editor’s note: All those entities should respond affirmatively: “Fine, we won’t do business with Iranian airlines. Or with US airlines.” – TLK] (09/21/26)
https://www.tbsnews.net/world/us-threatens-ground-iranian-airlines-worldwide-wednesday-1549776
- Major TV networks suspend White House pool coverage after Trump ban
Source: USA Today
“Major television networks suspended their White House pool coverage and will no longer send camera crews to cover President Donald Trump’s pool events, standing in solidarity with CNN after Trump denied White House access to reporters for three outlets. The move from the five networks that make up the television pool ‒ ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News, in addition to CNN ‒ means a broadcast television feed that is distributed widely for media won’t be carried for most of Trump’s events. Bryan Boughton, D.C. bureau chief of Fox News and chair of the television pool, relayed the decision in a Sept. 21 email to pool members. … The White House pool, which rotates daily, is composed of a small group of reporters given close face-to-face access to the president during events. The pool includes one network camera crew, which broadcasts a television feed that is shared with other networks.” (09/21/26)
- Romania: Former presidential candidate Georgescu detained on suspicion of fraud
Source: Politico
“Former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu was detained Monday on suspicion of fraud by Romanian police and the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). The ultranationalist politician shot to prominence when he unexpectedly won the first round of the November 2024 presidential election, snapping up 23% of the vote. But the Constitutional Court annulled the election in December that year and barred Georgescu from running again due to his campaign’s links to a Russian influence operation. Romanian authorities are investigating Georgescu for committing fraud and forming an organized criminal group that prosecutors say defrauded a Romanian businessman by promising access to multimillion-euro foreign bank financing in exchange for cash guarantees.” (09/21/26)
https://www.politico.eu/article/calin-georgescu-detained-romania-fraud-investigation
- IL: Supreme Court to hear case that will determine future of Chicago police misconduct process
Source: Chicago Tribune
“After three years of negotiations, lawsuits and appeals, the Illinois Supreme Court this week will hear arguments from attorneys for the city of Chicago and the Fraternal Order of Police in a case that will determine the future of serious misconduct cases involving Chicago Police Department officers and the public’s right of access. The crux of the dispute is whether officers accused of severe wrongdoing may have their disciplinary cases heard and decided by a third-party arbitrator — as is the case for other municipal employees represented by labor unions — instead of the Chicago Police Board, which has been the city’s practice since 1961. … Also at issue is whether or not officers who face termination from CPD should be paid while their cases are adjudicated.” (09/21/26)
- UN: US strikes on alleged drug boats could be crimes against humanity
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
“A UN report has concluded that recent US airstrikes on vessels allegedly trafficking drugs breached international law and could constitute crimes against humanity. The report by Special Rapporteur Ben Saul said since September last year there had been at least 68 US strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific, outside US territorial waters, which [murdered] more than 220 people. Saul said that even if targets could be identified as members of designated terrorist groups, they had not staged an armed attack on the US which would trigger a right to self-defence under international law. The report comes two days after the US military said it [murdered] four people in a strike on a vessel in the Caribbean.” (09/21/26)
- Google hit with $463 million bribe demand for EU location data rule breach
Source: Seattle Times
“Google has been fined 403 million euros ($463 million) for breaching the European Union’s strict privacy rules because it mishandled users’ location data, the bloc’s data privacy watchdog said Monday. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission said its investigation found Google did not lawfully or fairly process location data in users’ Web & App Activity, a Google setting that tracks browsing and search history, and in their Location History, a service that maps places they’ve been with their mobile phones. Regulators also found the company failed to be lawful, fair and transparent when it processed personal data in its Location Accuracy feature in the Android mobile operating system. Ireland is the lead regulator for Google in the 27-nation EU because the U.S. tech giant’s European headquarters is based in Dublin.” (09/21/26)
- Omar’s new legislation targeting ICE gang sparks faux outrage from the usual Make America East Germany Again suspects
Source: Fox News
“Conservatives are pushing back after Rep. Ilhan Omar. D-Minn., introduced legislation that would redirect over $100 billion in funds previously allocated to immigration enforcement and ‘invest it into communities across the country that have been impacted by the Department of Homeland Security’s heinous operations’. Omar explained in a press release Thursday that her Make ICE Pay Act is a response to ‘Operation Metro Surge’ in Minnesota and that it would send nearly $140 billion of ICE and Border Patrol funding from Trump’s signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act toward ‘local recovery efforts’ from immigration enforcement that has taken place across the country. Omar says the funding will be used by local jurisdictions to provide economic relief and distribute money through the states to nonprofits, small businesses and other impacted entities to support schools, healthcare and psychological services, increased local-government expenses, investigations and memorialization efforts.” (09/21/26)
- Map shows dengue fever cases in each US state as Florida records first 2026 death
Source: Yahoo! News
“Florida has reported its first dengue fever death of 2026 as the mosquito-borne disease spreads across parts of the United States, with nearly 2,000 cases recorded nationwide this year. The death comes amid one of Florida’s most significant dengue outbreaks in recent years and as health officials monitor rising case numbers in several U.S. jurisdictions. … Florida’s 332 reported cases are the highest among U.S. states. State health officials have also reported more than 150 locally acquired infections this year, meaning residents were infected within Florida rather than during travel abroad.” (09/21/26)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/map-shows-dengue-fever-cases-101458080.html
- CA: Newsom declares statewide emergency ahead of epic El Niño storms
Source: Los Angeles Times
“Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a statewide emergency for California in anticipation of this winter’s El Niño-fueled storms, a new sign of growing worry about coastal flooding and high waves expected in the coming months. El Niño may bring high surf and high-impact storms to the state, which ‘warrants early, coordinated, and targeted preparedness actions to protect Californians, critical infrastructure, agricultural lands, natural resources, and the State’s economy,’ the emergency proclamation read.” (09/21/26)
- Italy: Meloni promises to ban veils in schools, limit foreign students
Source: Politico
“Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said her government is preparing two legislative proposals that would ban face coverings in Italian schools and restrict the number of foreign students allowed in classrooms. … Roughly 930,000 students without Italian citizenship are enrolled in the country’s schools, representing almost 11.6% of the school population, according to research institute Fondazione ISMU. … It’s not the first time Meloni’s government has looked to ban face coverings. In 2025 her party said it had plans to ban the burqa and niqab in all public spaces nationwide, calling the legislation a response to ‘Islamic separatism.’ The bill is still under consideration in the country’s lower house.” (09/20/26)
https://www.politico.eu/article/giorgia-meloni-ban-veils-italy-schools-limit-foreign-students/
- Paramount settles lawsuit with US states, helping clear way for $110bn merger with Warner Bros
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
“Paramount Skydance has settled a lawsuit with dozens of US states, removing a major hurdle to its $110bn (£82.8bn) merger with Warner Bros Discovery. California Attorney General Rob Bonta told a news conference that state officials agreed to terms after securing commitments to protect competition across film and television, and broadcasting. Still, ‘the settlement is not a vote of support for this merger,’ Bonta said. ‘I don’t think these two companies should merge’. Paramount chief executive David Ellison hailed the resolution, saying: ‘Our shared aim was an outcome that best serves consumers, workers and – most importantly -the creative community so vital to the art of visual storytelling.’ In a statement, Ellison said that now the state attorneys general and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) concerns had been addressed, ‘we have complete clearance for this merger and look forward to putting these commitments into action’.” (09/21/26)
- White House Moves to Take Control of NIH Grants
Source: New York Times
“The White House has begun drafting a new executive order that could further cement President Trump’s ability to control billions of dollars in scientific grants funded by the National Institutes of Health. Discussed at a highly contentious meeting at the White House on Friday, the directive aims to create a new external committee with the power to veto awards in the nation’s vast biomedical research portfolio that do not conform to Mr. Trump’s political agenda, according to people with knowledge of the effort. … Traditionally, the N.I.H. selects projects based on expert review of their scientific merit. But Mr. Trump has sought through a series of recent directives in his second term to bring that process under political review, arguing in part that the government has been funding ‘woke’ liberal priorities.” (09/20/26)
- No Justice for Heehaw. Why Police Won’t be Held to Account For Donkey’s Death.
Source: Cato Institute
by Mike Fox“In the early morning hours of August 30, a baby petting zoo donkey named Heehaw was gunned down by a Cedartown, Georgia police officer Trenton Garner in his own pasture. Reports suggest that Cedartown officers were assisting Polk County Police with locating a missing person. The officers had entered his owner’s property without ‘permission or warning.’ When the baby donkey approached them in the dark, braying — as donkeys tend to do — an officer opened fire. HeeHaw’s owner, Hannah Israel, has vowed legal action. While such a high-profile case may induce the city to settle, absent a settlement offer, the doctrine of qualified immunity largely puts justice out of reach. But it wasn’t supposed to be this way. In 1982, contrary to congressional command, the Supreme Court inserted the words ‘“clearly established’ into the text of Section 1983 in the Civil Rights Act of 1871.” (09/21/26)
https://www.cato.org/commentary/no-justice-heehaw-why-police-wont-be-held-account-donkeys-death
- Medicare for All—with No New Taxes?
Source: Independent Institute
by John C Goodman“Democratic candidates and activists appear all-in on ‘Medicare for All.’ Many supporters of the idea envision a nationwide universal healthcare system that would be financed primarily by increasing taxes on the super-rich. A recent Echelon Insights poll, for example, found that 74% of voters who support Medicare for All believe it could be financed entirely by raising taxes on billionaires. This is a pipe dream. No country in the world makes health care universally free, paid solely by their wealthiest taxpayers.” (09/21/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/09/21/medicare-for-all-with-no-new-taxes/
- Is the hype about AI real? Or insane?
Source: The Price of Liberty
by Nathan Barton“AI may be deadly but not because of anything intrinsic to AI programs or apps, but because humans make mistakes and misuse it. In other words, just like firearms, automobiles, pots and pans, and anything else that humans have invented and use.” (09/21/26)
https://thepriceofliberty.org/2026/09/21/is-the-hype-about-ai-real-or-insane/
- Mike Johnson’s Claims of House Productivity Are Misleading
Source: Exiled Policy
by Jason Pye“One criticism of House Republicans is that they haven’t really done much with their majority. The Wall Street Journal notes that House Republican leadership has canceled 63 voting days since the beginning of the 119th Congress. Congress really hasn’t done much to address the issues that are at the forefront of voters’ minds, such as affordability, inflation, and the economy. During an interview on Newsmax 2 with Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) tried to deflect the criticism, claiming that the House has been on a record pace in terms of passing legislation. … Johnson’s version of events is almost comically self-congratulatory. It’s campaign rhetoric, and it’s disingenuous.” (09/21/26)
https://exiledpolicy.substack.com/p/mike-johnsons-claims-of-house-productivity
- People Get Paid for Blood, Plasma, and Drug Trials — Why Not Kidneys Too?
Source: Reason
by Caleb Petitt“About 4,000 people in America die every year while waiting for kidney transplants. More than 95,000 currently need regular dialysis to stay alive while waiting for transplants. The average person who needs a kidney must endure the discomfort and restrictions of dialysis for three to five years during the wait. Most countries have organ-donation systems like America’s—and long waitlists. Iran, by contrast, legalized payment to kidney donors in 1988; within 11 years the country eliminated its waitlist. Payment compensates donors for their time, pain, and risk; it also increases the supply of willing donors.” (09/21/26)
https://reason.com/2026/09/21/people-get-paid-for-blood-plasma-and-drug-trials-why-not-kidneys-too/
- President Trump Bribes the People
Source: Ron Paul Liberty Report
by Ron Paul“President Trump, speaking at the Republicans’ midterm convention, pledged that if Republicans maintained control of the Congress in the November election every adult American will receive 5,000 dollars from the government. … Some commentators have expressed outrage over President Trump’s attempt to bribe voters. These commentators have tended to ignore the fact that, since the rise of the welfare-warfare-regulatory state, most political campaigns are little more than legalized bribery.” (09/21/26)
https://www.ronpaullibertyreport.com/archives/president-trump-bribes-the-people
- Government by Consent of the Governed — Later On
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by George Ford Smith“You might want to hire someone to paint your house, but the painters need your permission first. For most people, consent precedes action. In the world of ‘government as we know it,’ an invaluable Robert Higgs expression, the exact opposite is often the case, especially when the action desired implies a disastrous change to American life. Ever wonder why false flags are so dear to government’s heart?” (09/21/26)
https://mises.org/mises-wire/government-consent-governed-later
- Trump’s $5,000 check is definitely not in the mail — but your ballot could be
Source: The Hill
by Svante Myrick“In a necessary and unquestionably correct decision, the U.S. Supreme Court last week declined to let President Trump throw the midterm elections into chaos with his scheme to use the U.S. Postal Service to interfere with mail-in voting. The ruling should have been unanimous. … The court’s MAGA maximalists seem to be operating under the principle that anything that interferes with Trump’s authoritarian whims is a violation of the Constitution. Fortunately, in this case, even Trump justices who helped invent king-like immunity for the president recognized that the attempt to force new election rules on the states — especially this close to an election — was a recipe for disaster.” (09/21/26)
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/6098635-trump-plans-disrupted-mail-ballots/
- Trump Sold out Venezuelan Freedom for Oil Money America Will Never See
Source: Independent Institute
by Daniel Sánchez-Piñol“President Donald Trump’s worldview essentially consists of dividing countries into two camps: those whose leaders flatter him or kowtow to his demands and those whose leaders balk at such subservience. In this view, dictatorships—even avowed enemies of the United States—are fine, as long as they play the game. This is not new in American politics. It echoes the famous quote attributed to Franklin D. Roosevelt about Nicaragua’s military dictator, Anastasio Somoza Garcia, who ruled the country from 1936 until 1956 (when he was assassinated): ‘He may be a son of a b****, but he’s our son of a b****.’ True to this maxim, Trump turned his back on Venezuela’s democratic majority, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, and recently signed the so-called biggest oil deal in world history with leftist Delcy Rodriguez, who was put in power after the U.S. captured and removed Nicolas Maduro in January.” (09/21/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/09/21/trump-sold-out-venezuelan-freedom/
- Seizing opportunity from Kennedy Center drama
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff“The standoff over Washington’s iconic Kennedy Center underscores the current place of the arts in America in ways that are both symbolic and substantive. On Tuesday, the complex formally known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts formally closed to the public. The move followed President Donald Trump’s monthslong effort to rename and remake the center in his vision, which disrupted norms and expectations around political, artistic, and cultural touchstones. Like most buildings that are several decades old, the center needs repairs and updates. Mr. Trump says his star power would attract the needed millions – but will only be exerted if he receives recognition. If not, the president threatened Wednesday, the complex could be ‘ripped down’.” (09/18/26)
- Europe’s Trade Trap
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Cláudia Ascensão Nunes“As discussions unfold over the EU’s proposed ‘associate membership’ for Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney has repeatedly stressed his desire for an economic and geopolitical partnership that preserves national sovereignty. This alliance serves the mutual interests of both the European Union and Canada by reducing strategic dependence on major third-party trading partners, particularly the United States and China. The paradox is that the core economic instrument designed to unite Canada and the EU, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), remains without full ratification by 10 EU national parliaments, nearly a decade after entering into provisional application. Rather than dismissing the concerns of these 10 member states as blind protectionism, one must understand that Brussels’s excessive regulations created the conditions for this impasse.” (09/21/26)
- Cordelli’s “Wrong of Capitalism”
Source: ProSocial Libertarians
by Andrew Jason Cohen“I recently heard Chiara Cordelli, a political theorist at the University of Chicago, on a podcast, talking about her article ‘What is the Wrong of Capitalism?’ (APSR 2025). Cordelli says that the real problem with capitalism is its impersonality. Her thinking seems to be that because there is noone running the system, there can’t be any democratic control over the system—no one to take direction from the demos. Given that, she seems to think, we can’t but be alienated from the system—because it is not a person with whom we could connect. Cordelli’s description of the capitalist system seems spot on (at least in this regard). Her view that this is something to bemoan is, in my view, a mistake. What she sees as problem, I see as the real benefit of capitalism.” (09/21/26)
https://prosociallibertarians.substack.com/p/cordellis-wrong-of-capitalism
- I Still Believe Humanity Is Headed For A Mass Awakening
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone“The fashionable thing to say these days is that everything’s fucked and we are headed to our doom, and that if anything changes it will be because the insanity of our capitalist system causes our material conditions to deteriorate so drastically that we are forced into revolution to survive. That things are bad because we’re a rotten people with selfish hearts who haven’t forced the revolutionary changes the world needs because, deep down, we actually like things the way they are. People who want to look cool and smart in revolutionary political circles tend to say that if a mass-scale transformation of human consciousness were going to happen, it would have happened by now.” (09/20/26)
https://caitlinjohnstone.com.au/2026/09/20/i-still-believe-humanity-is-headed-for-a-mass-awakening/
- The Negligence of War and Peace
Source: Bet On It
by Bryan Caplan“I was still in college the year of the Gulf War. At the time, I opposed the war; and in hindsight, I still do. But I freely admit that the U.S. planned its war carefully. They assembled over half a million troops, got buy-in from almost all their allies, and after four days of ground combat, the U.S. was totally victorious. After victory, however, conflict with Saddam Hussein persisted for 12 more years. Why? Because although the U.S. had a careful plan for the war, they decided to wing the peace.” (09/21/26)
- Why You Should Boycott Starbucks
Source: Inequality.org
by Lisa Watson“Walking into a Starbucks means being greeted with the sounds of lively lobby conversation, milk being steamed, and baristas chatting with customers. As a customer you might love coming to Starbucks to customize your drink, enjoy a third space, or see your favorite barista. I thrive in this environment, and I love connecting with my customers as a barista. I love my job, but Starbucks has shown us it has forgotten about baristas like me. That’s why I’m joining my coworkers in calling on everyone who supports working people over corporations to boycott Starbucks. It would cost Starbucks less than a single day’s sales to agree to a fair contract that would ensure we’re treated fairly—why wouldn’t the company want that? Starbucks has lost its way.” [editor’s note: I have not bought their overpriced sugared coffee for years, and politics had nothing to do with it – SAT] (09/21/26)
https://inequality.org/article/its-time-to-boycott-starbucks/
- Trump’s White House press ban clashes with 130 years of independent reporting — and the law
Source: Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
by Jacob Gaba“‘Fake News’ — that’s why President Trump says he banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. Since our country’s founding, presidents have bristled at the press. What’s different here is barring entire news organizations from the White House grounds because the president dislikes their reporting.” (09/21/26)
- The Fed Finally Raised Rates. Now Comes the Hard Part.
Source: The Daily Economy
by Bryan Cutsinger“Inflation has been above target for 65 months. The Fed took a first step, but to restore stability, tightening must continue.” (09/21/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/the-fed-finally-raised-rates-now-comes-the-hard-part/
- Diagnosing Congressional Dysfunction
Sourc: Law & Liberty
by James Wallner“Congress should not be judged by how efficiently it produces predetermined outcomes.” (09/21/26)
https://lawliberty.org/diagnosing-congressional-dysfunction/
- Progressive Principles for a New US Foreign Policy
Source: Foreign Policy In Focus
by Phyllis Bennis“For many years, progressive movements and activists have longed for the moment when we could imagine a real foreign policy rooted in true internationalism and solidarity. But in our efforts to influence actual policy decisions, we’ve settled for important but smaller asks—ending specific wars, blocking the transfer of certain weapons to Israel, reducing military aid, cutting the military budget. That made sense—our movements’ view of the world was rarely fully reflected in Congress, the State Department, or the White House. Now some of those limitations are fading. There are new possibilities rising as we see new candidates with incredibly progressive politics win their campaigns—and even more importantly, we see in recent years the extraordinary shift in public discourse about the US role in the world, especially (though not only) throughout the almost three years of US-enabled genocide in Gaza.” (09/21/26)
https://fpif.org/first-principles-for-a-new-progressive-foreign-policy/
- Abusing the Spiral
Source: Underthrow
by Max Borders“When so-called systems thinkers turn stage theory into a political bludgeon.” (09/21/26)
- Of Donald and Diesel
Source: Paul Krugman
by Paul Krugman“I still sometimes see commentators asserting that fears about the effects of Trump’s disastrous Iran war on energy prices were overstated, because the price of crude oil is “only” $102 a barrel, far above prewar prices but well below the $150-$200 range some analysts warned was possible. But nobody burns crude oil; they burn products refined from crude oil, mainly gasoline and diesel. And here’s what has happened to the price of diesel: Diesel is currently selling at more than $200 a barrel. It’s true that there is always a ‘crack spread’ between crude and diesel, but it’s typically on the order of $20. So the price of diesel is currently roughly what we would normally expect with crude at around $190.” (09/21/26)
- We Could, We Should, We Must
Source: Brownstone Institute
by Josh Stylman“Two professors at a medical school in Michigan published a peer-reviewed paper in the journal Bioethics. Their argument is that it is ‘morally obligatory’ to genetically engineer ticks to spread a disease that makes humans violently allergic to red meat. My first reaction was the natural one, in my opinion. It had to be an Onion or Babylon Bee headline someone laundered through a fake citation. … So I checked and it turned out to be real. … The author’s actual argument – and remember this is not satire – is that alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), the tick-borne red meat allergy, is a ‘moral bioenhancer.’ Their logic: if eating meat is morally wrong, and the allergy makes you stop eating meat (because it will now kill you), then the allergy makes you a better person.” (09/21/26)
- Before the Fall
Source: Washington Monthly
by Merrrill Goozner‘The number of Americans without health insurance is soaring this year. Last week’s Census Bureau report on the uninsured rate for 2025 is the last good news we’ll get for a while.” (09/21/26)
- Hidden from CPI, These Costs Are Eating Away at Real Wages
Source: The Daily Economy
by Karl-Friedrich Israel“Official inflation calculations exclude taxes and asset prices. Add them in, and three decades of modest paycheck gains become losses.” (09/21/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/hidden-from-cpi-these-costs-are-eating-away-at-real-wages/
- The Ones Who Walk Away from AI
Source: American Greatness
by Stephen Soukup“Almost exactly a month ago (about a fraction of a second before the issue exploded into the public consciousness) I attempted to address the moral peculiarities of ‘Effective Altruism’, the philosophy-based behavioral code that animates and governs the lives of the tech elites who dominate AI. In retrospect, that column was not my finest. It was a bit of a mess …. In short, in an attempt to discredit the entirety of the Effective Altruism movement, I failed to pick a single target and, as a result, failed to make a particularly effective case against any of it.” (09/21/26)
https://amgreatness.com/2026/09/21/those-who-walk-away-from-ai/
- Each state is sovereign. Colorado must not have heard.
Source: Washington Post
by Mike Hilgers“The U.S. Supreme Court in October will hear oral arguments in Suncor Energy v. County Commissioners of Boulder County, a case arising from climate litigation but presenting a much older constitutional question: How far may one state extend its law into the affairs of another? Boulder County seeks to use Colorado public nuisance law to pursue energy companies for their alleged contribution to global climate change. The Colorado Supreme Court allowed those claims to move forward. On appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, Suncor and ExxonMobil argue that Boulder’s claims are blocked by the Constitution and federal law, because greenhouse gas emissions transcend state boundaries.” (09/21/26)
- The One, the Many, and the In-Between
Sourc: Law & Liberty
by Luke C Sheahan“The structure of digital interaction in social media draws us into abstract communities, offering a false sense of belonging while at the same time separating us from true belonging in a concrete community. None of this is psychologically or spiritually healthy. One of the most disturbing facts is that of social contagion in the digital age. We’ve known of social contagions for a long time, such as the dancing plague of 1518 that erupted in Strasbourg.” (09/21/26)
https://lawliberty.org/book-review/the-one-the-many-and-the-in-between/
- Police hugging AI so tight, soon we’ll all be pre-crime suspects
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Harrison Berger“The risks presented by superintelligent and uncontrollable artificial intellifence are real, but the security appartatus is already colloborating closely with these firms.” (09/21/26)
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/pentagon-artificial-intelligence/
- Quantum Vibe, 09/21/26
Source: Big Head Press
by Scott BieserCartoon. (09/21/26)
- Dems bring Russiagate back from the dead to haunt the midterms
Source: New York Post
by Miranda Devine“Former Trump staffer Michael Caputo endured a decade of lawfare that he says forced him out of his home and gave him cancer from all the stress. But just when he thought the Russiagate nightmare was over, he was slapped in the face this month with a lawsuit cooked up by a former DOJ lawyer from the ‘national security’ unit that hounded him and other Trump associates over alleged foreign agent violations without laying a single charge. It’s a simple $100,000 contract dispute case, but Jack Korba, formerly a prosecutor in the small national security section of the District of Columbia US Attorney’s Office and now in private practice in Washington, DC, has filed a complaint packed with gratuitous smears of Caputo that rehash elements of the DOJ’s failed Russiagate probe.” (09/20/26)
- Donald Rumsfeld’s New Europe Is Waiting For Its Second Act
Source: Libertarian Institute
by José Niño“On January 22, 2003, Donald Rumsfeld stepped behind the podium at the Foreign Press Center in Washington and, with one answer to a Dutch public television reporter, redrew the map of Europe. The reporter wanted to know why so many Europeans trusted Saddam Hussein more than then-President George W. Bush. The defense secretary fired back with words the Pentagon transcript preserved in full: ‘Now, you’re thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don’t. I think that’s old Europe. If you look at the entire NATO Europe today, the center of gravity is shifting to the east. And there are a lot of new members.’ … Esteemed diplomat George Kennan saw where this road led.” (09/21/26)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/donald-rumsfelds-new-europe-is-waiting-for-its-second-act
- In Nicaragua, Marco Rubio Wants to Defeat Socialism, Not Restore Democracy
Source: Common Dreams
by John Perry“After Venezuela and Cuba, will the Trump administration turn its spotlight onto Nicaragua? Secretary of State Rubio has just finished a tour of three Latin American countries now allied with Trump (Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) and was asked about US policy towards Cuba and Nicaragua, and what he would do ‘to finally bring those dictatorships to an end’. Accusing left-wing governments of ‘destroying’ their countries and bringing ‘misery’ to their citizens, and in some cases of posing a security threat to the United States, Rubio said that the problem can now be addressed ‘in partnership with other presidents and other leaders in this region that feel the same way’. Back in July, after media claims that Nicaragua’s Sandinista government plans to abolish elections completely, Rubio said that Nicaragua was ‘thwarting the basic tenets of our democratic hemisphere.'” (09/21/26)
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/marco-rubio-s-intentions-in-nicaragua
- Why Iran’s Lego Clips Are Anything but ‘Stupid’
Source: Foreign Policy
by Mohamed Elgohari“While answering a question in July about the prospects for negotiations with Iran, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a dismissive reference to an ongoing series of AI-generated Lego animation clips produced in Iran that mock U.S. and Israeli officials. Iran will be ready to do a deal soon, Rubio suggested, because ‘the price they are paying is very high, despite their tough talk and their flowery language and their stupid Lego videos they put out.’ Rubio, speaking to reporters at a foreign ministers’ meeting in Manila, hadn’t even been asked about the propaganda campaign. That a sitting U.S. secretary of state felt compelled to address a cartoon campaign produced by a small group of individuals at an international security forum is itself revealing.” (09/21/26)
- Republicans Who Support War in Iran Are Giving Democrats Chance To Control Congress
Source: Antiwar.com
by John J Duncan, Jr.“This Nation is now over 40 trillion in debt. We simply cannot afford this one trillion, five hundred billion Secretary Hegseth and the Pentagon want. Yet the Congress voted this past Wednesday to spend an additional $73 billion on this unpopular, unnecessary war in Iran. Most of the votes came from Republicans, even though this war is really hurting our Party.” (09/21/26)
- If Trump wants to lower drug prices, his obvious free-riding targets are outside the US
Source: Fox News
by Jeffrey Gerrish“President Donald Trump just secured nine new pricing agreements with drug manufacturers that could help reduce what Americans pay for many prescription medicines. The deals demonstrate Trump’s commitment to lowering drug prices for patients. The president’s dedication – and his desire to negotiate with companies individually, rather than imposing broad mandates – is commendable. But his efforts would be better directed at the root cause of high drug prices: foreign countries free-riding on American drug innovation. To deliver lasting price reductions while protecting U.S. leadership in biomedical innovation, the Trump administration must focus its negotiating strategy overseas – and intensify its push to make other countries pay their fair share for the medicines America develops.” (09/21/26)
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/trump-lower-drug-prices-free-riding-targets-outside-us
- Pod Save America, episode 1216
Source: Crooked Media
“Trump Bans Crooked Media.” (09/22/26)
https://audioboom.com/posts/8955383-trump-bans-crooked-media
- Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 09/21/26
Source: Antiwar.com
“Report Says Trump Reversed Plan To Bomb Yemen, Israeli Forces Kill 11-Year-Old in Gaza, and More.” (09/21/26)
- Interviews by Claire Lehmann, 09/21/26
Source: Quillette
“Investor Misha Saul joins Claire Lehmann to discuss Australia’s declining productivity, immigration policy, and the political choices shaping the country’s future.” (09/22/26)
https://quillette.com/2026/09/21/australia-is-sick-misha-saul-on-what-went-wrong/
- Fountainhead Forum, episode 489
Source: Fountainhead Forum
“Jorge Trucco on Javier Milei and Argentina’s cost of living.” (09/21/26)
https://rumble.com/v7ft0b6-ff-489-jorge-trucco-on-javier-milei-and-argentinas-cost-of-living.html
- Reason Roundtable, 09/21/26
Source: Reason
“Does CNN Deserve To Be Banned From the White House?” (09/21/26)
https://reason.com/podcast/2026/09/21/does-cnn-deserve-to-be-banned-from-the-white-house/
- EconTalk, 09/21/26
Source: EconTalk
“The Death of Reading (with James Marriott).” (09/21/26)
https://www.econtalk.org/the-death-of-reading-with-james-marriott/
- Ron Paul Liberty Report, 09/21/26
Source: Ron Paul Liberty Report
“Israel Demands ‘Compensation’ After Trump OKs F-35 Sale To Saudis.” (09/21/26)
- Rising, 09/21/26
Source: The Hill
“Robby Soave gives his radar on Bo French’s viral X post criticizing the students at a Texas football game.” (09/21/26)
https://thehill.com/hilltv/6089697-rising-september-21-2026/
- The Bulwark Daily, 09/21/26
Source: The Bulwark
“Trump’s Latest Meltdown Is a Dead Giveaway: He’s Rattled (w/ Andrew Egger).” (09/21/26)
- The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent, 09/21/26
Source: The New Republic
“Trump’s Pollster Drops Bomb on GOP as Midterm Panic Grows: ‘Bloodbath.'” (09/21/26)
https://newrepublic.com/article/215627/trump-pollster-drops-bomb-gop-midterm-panic-grows-bloodbath
- The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg, 09/21/26
Source: The Dispatch
“The Peacemaker of Utah | Interview: Spencer Cox.” (09/21/26)
https://thedispatch.com/podcast/remnant/the-peacemaker-of-utah-interview-spencer-cox/
- Politico Playbook Audio Briefing, 09/21/26
Source: Politico
“Mike Waltz’s next moves.” (09/21/26)
- TechTank, season 5, episode 49
Source: Brookings Institution
“Weighing the existential risks of AI and the proposals to prevent them.” (09/21/26)
- Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 09/20/26
Source: Antiwar.com
“Trump Says He’s Considering Blowing Up ‘Entire Nation’ of Iran, US Airstrike in Somalia, and More.” (09/20/26)
- Neon Liberalism, episode 91
Source: Liberal Currents
“Samantha and guest Keira Havens talk Thomas Massie’s recent attempt to impeach Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. They discuss the mechanics and politics of impeachment, the role of accountability, and what it means to regain a sense of ourselves as constitutional actors.” (09/20/26)
https://www.liberalcurrents.com/lets-impeach-pete-hegseth-neon-liberalism-91-with-keira-havens/
- Sal and Mark, episode 19
Source: Free Talk Live
“Sal explores cypherpunk ideology and the tools for freedom on the Amsterdam canals. This second-year livestream covers cryptocurrency, privacy technology, and how to opt out of government control.” (09/20/26)
- Free Talk Live, 09/20/26
Source: Free Talk Live
“No Child Left Behind and our kids are getting dumber :: Things that used to be racist :: AI is a bubble and the creators want us to think AI is dangerous so they can get bailed out and regulate the industry for their good :: Sam altman says AI could kill us all :: Sarah asks if God wants us to vote :: Pitocin causes Postpartum Depression :: Regional accents are now a scam vulnerability :: Circumcision makes kids dumber :: They want everyone’s bio details to make profiles on them for tracking :: 2026-09-20 :: Hosts: Bonnie, Lori, Chadd and Alanna.” (09/20/26)
- Kyle Anzalone on The Scott Horton Show
Source: The Scott Horton Show
“Kyle Anzalone on the Houthi Escalation.” (09/20/26)
https://scotthorton.org/interviews/9-18-26-kyle-anzalone-on-the-houthi-escalation/
- Unattended Baggage, episode 357
Source: Unattended Baggage
“Put a little love in your heart…except for government.” (09/19/26)
https://unattendedbaggage.substack.com/p/episode-357-put-a-little-love-in
- Elfidel Ibrahim on The Scott Horton Show
Source: The Scott Horton Show
“Scott interviews writer and analyst Elfidel Ibrahim about the current state of Iraqi politics.” (09/19/26)
https://scotthorton.org/interviews/9-14-26-elfidel-ibrahim-on-how-the-iran-war-is-impacting-iraq/